Controlling switch for the electrical system of an automobile



May 16, 1950 H. 1.. STAUFFER CONTROLLING SWITCH FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OF AUTOMOBILES Filed Feb. 10, 1947 III/Il/I/III 22 a4 INVENTOR. Her? ,0 stauffer w w E 4! 3 6 I. 3 I I a I. M 5 A a 6 2 8 0 2 Jihr M 4 2 H-111: (I w 1 m v A'ITCI RN EYE Patented May 16 1950 CONTROLLING SWITCH FOR THE ELECTRI- CAL SYSTEM OF AN AUTOMOBILE Henry L. Staufier, Lansdale, Pa.

Application February 10, 1947, Serial No. 727,530

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for controlling the electrical system of an automobile, and more particularly to the provision of a device which eliminates the usual ignition switch.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device in which there is no positive wire from the battery to a battery switch, thus preventing short circuits between the battery and switch.

A further object is to provide a device which eliminates the ignition switch. The device can use any make of lock and when the control of the battery is turned off at the same time the engine is turned off. Therefore, this control device makes it impossible to forget to turn the battery control, and thus prevents short circuits, fires, and burned ignition coils.

A further object is to provide a device which safeguards against thieves, as it is not possible for a thief to jump wires and cut out the battery control.

These and other objects are attained by the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of an instrument board with a battery control embodying the invention mounted in the back thereof.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the battery control device in a closed or circuit making position.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the control device in a circuit making position.

Fig. 4 is a view of the device in an open circuit position.

Fig. 5 is a side view showing layers of metal and insulation used in the device.

Fig. 6 is a plan view showing the insulation about a connecting bolt.

Referring to the drawings, the battery control device is shown to comprise a housing 2 secured by bolts 4 to the horizontal flange 6 of instrument panel 8. A sheet III of metal, a sheet l2 of metal, and a sheet I of insulating material, such as fibre, separating the sheets or plates H1 or l2, are located in the housing. The three sheets are secured together by bolts l6, which are encircled by sleeves l8 of insulating material as they pass through sheet Ill. The bolts are also further insulated from sheet ID by washers 20.

Sheet I2 is recessed at 22 and formed with an inclined surface 24 covered by a good conductor of electricity, which surface is adapted to be engaged by the inclined surface 26 of an extension on the end of a bolt or stud 28 when the bolt is turned in one direction, and a cutout portion 30 of the bolt 28 which cutout portion'is free from the surface 26 when the bolt is turned in another direction.

The bolt has fixed thereto, a collar 32 which is held by a set screw or the like and controls the longitudinal position of the bolt so that it may be adjusted to assure its contact with the surface 26. The collar is held in place by a yoke 34 secured-to the plate I0 by Screws 36.

The bolt 28 is connected as at 29 to the cylinder of a common type of lock 38, which is mounted on the instrument board 8 of an automobile through insulating washers 31 and 39.

A small bolt 40 is screwed into plate I0 and connected through wire 42 to the negative terminal of a battery, and screws 44 mounted in the plate l2 are connected to the housing 2.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that, in practice, the plate I2 is in electrical contact with the frame of the automobile, through the screws 44, housing 2 and instrument panel 8. The plate It is connected to the negative terminal of the battery by the conductor 42, and the positive terminal of the battery is connected directly to the ignition coil of the engine, with the result that the ignition circuit is closed when the bolt 28 is in contact with the plate 12, and opened when the bolt is out of contact with the plate l2.

The key to the lock reaches clear through the lock 38 to the control bolt 28, and at the same time the engine is turned off, the battery is completely disconnected. It will be seen that the device eliminates the necessity of an ignition switch and being connected in the negative side of the battery does not engage a live wire and thereby eliminates the hazard of short circuits and fire. The device is largely tamper and theft proof as it will be practically impossible to by-pass the control box to close the ignition circuit.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a battery control key actuated switch, the combination which comprises a pair of spaced contact sheets providing a base plate and a cover plate, a sheet of insulating material positioned between the said base and cover plates, said cover plate and sheet of insulating material having centrally disposed cylindrical openings therethrough, said base plate having a recess in the inner surface positioned with the recess in registering position with the opening of the cover plate and said base plate having a projection extended into the said recess, a stud having an extension on one side of the inner end thereof rotatably mounted in the said centrally disposed opening of the cover plate and insulating sheet providing an electrical contact between the base and cover plate when the stud is positioned with the extension in contact with the projection of the base plate, means comiecting a cylindrical lock to the outer end of said stud, spaced bolts extended through the said cover plate and sheet and threaded into the said base plate for holding the elements in assembled relation, insulating sleeves around the bolts and positioned in the said cover plate for insulating the said bolts from the cover plate, a contact screw providing a terminal threaded into the said cover plate, and screws threaded into the base plate for grounding the switch to a vehicle in which the said switch is positioned.

2. In a battery control key actuated switch, the combination which comprises a pair of spaced contact sheets providing :a base plate and a cover plate, a sheet of insulating material positioned between the said base .and cover plates, said cover plate and sheet of insulatin material having centrally disposed cylindrical openings therethrough, said base plate having a recess in the inner surface positioned with the recess in registering position with the opening of the cover plate andsaid .base plate having a projection extended into the said recess, a stud having an extension on oneside of the inner end thereof rotatably mounted in the said centrally disposed opening of the cover plate and insulating sheet providing an electrical contact between the base and cover plates when the stud is positioned with the extension in contact with the projection of the base plate, means connecting a cylindrical lock to the outer end of said stud, spaced bolts extended through the said cover plate and insulating sheets and threaded into the said base plate for holding the elements in assembled relation, insulating sleeves around the bolts and positioned in the said cover plate for insulating the said bolts from the cover plate, a contact screw providing a terminal threaded into the said cover plate, a housing enclosin the elements of said switch, and screws extended through the housing and threaded into the said base plate for grounding thesaid base plate to the housing.

HENRY L. STAUFFER.

REFERENCES CIT-ED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,205,051 Soulliere Nov. '14, .1916 1,576,779 Murray Mar. 16, 1926 1,656,586 Hemingway Jan. 17, 1928 1,911,739 Bangtson May -30, 1933 

